Machine type of communication (MTC) is a growth area related to the Internet of Things (IoT). The IoT can be considered a network of physical objects or “things” embedded with electronics, software, sensors, and connectivity to enable objects to exchange data with a manufacturer, operator and/or other connected devices based on the infrastructure of International Telecommunication Union's Global Standards Initiative. The IoT allows objects to be sensed and controlled remotely across existing network infrastructure, creating opportunities for more direct integration between the physical world and computer-based systems, and resulting in improved efficiency, accuracy and economic benefit. Each thing is uniquely identifiable through its embedded computing system but is able to interoperate within the existing Internet infrastructure. Typically, the IoT is expected to offer advanced connectivity of devices, systems, and services that goes beyond machine-to-machine communications (M2M) and covers a variety of protocols, domains, and applications. Things, in the IoT, can refer to a wide variety of devices such as heart monitoring implants, biochip transponders on farm animals, electric clams in coastal waters, automobiles with built-in sensors, field operation devices that assist fire-fighters in search and rescue, or robots communicating on an automated production line. These devices collect useful data with the help of various existing technologies and then autonomously flow the data between other devices. Current market examples include smart thermostat systems and washer/dryers that utilize Wi-Fi/WiFi for remote monitoring, wide area metering read out via Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) networks, or fleet management via Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) networks.
In general, mobile service providers want to get revenue through offering their mobile broadband networks as the communication channel to enterprises. Regarding MTC, mobile service providers intend to get new revenue from this area through offering their mobile broadband networks as the communication channel to enterprises that have an MTC need. This drives mobile broadband demand. Mobile operators thus enhance existing and coming mobile network technologies (like General Packet Radio Service (GPRS)/Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution (Edge), WCDMA, Long Term Evolution (LTE), 5G, WiFi etc.) with functionality facilitating MTC. The 3GPP/WiFi accesses are enhanced with gateway-based capillary type of accesses extending the supported MTC communication to low power Z-Wave, ZigBee, Bluetooth, IPv6 over Low power Wireless Personal Area Network (6LoWPAN) devices and the like.
The current mobile operator focus is on running a mass market smartphone network, directly addressing consumers. In the cases mobile operators provide communication to enterprises, the corner stone remains the voice and smartphone communication to the enterprises' employees. A mobile operator faces obstacles when increasing income by broadly offering MTC to enterprises.
For example, an enterprise has a thorough understanding of what type of communication is required and the location where it is required. However, the mobile operator has no knowledge what service level agreement (e.g., achievable speed, latency, jitter, packet drop rate etc.) the mobile network offers at the requested locations. As long as the mobile operator does not know, the mobile operator cannot commit to and charge for a service level agreement. This problem applies to both MTC and normal communication services.
Further, the mobile operator lacks the resources to find out the network capabilities at the requested locations. If these resources are built up, the mobile operator moves away from mass market MTC offerings and the resource cost to assess the communication channel removes the mobile operator value of the MTC offering, with the exception of a few sufficiently large MTC contracts that can justify the additional resources.